Apparatus for removing trash from beaters, pulpers and the like



Jan. 8, 1957 E. COWLES 2,776,765

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING TRASH FROM BEATERS, PULPERS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 19, 1.954

IN VEN TOR. EDWIN COWLES BY I Jan. 8, 1957 E. COWLES 2,776,765

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING TRASH FROM BEATERS, PULPERS AND THE LIKE Filed March 19, 1954 2 Sheet-Sheet 2 /3 F/GZ. o ff 3 4 /6 I In m 11min 'lh /y "1 X 0 Ii :iij

INVENTOR. EDWIN COWLES BY Z... ,Z/Z.%:mu8%z ATTOENEYS United States Patent APPARATUS FOR REMOVING TRASH FROM HEATERS, PULPERS AND THE LIKE Application March 19, 1954, Serial No. 417,415

2 Claims. (Cl. 214-95) This invention relates to apparatus for removing trash from beaters, pulpers and other machines used in defibering paper stock. The invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with machines adapted for defibering waste paper which usually contains considerable quantities of trash. Such machines are usually operated continuously, i. e. bales of waste paper and water are added continuously or from time to time and defibered stock (fibers and water) is removed continuously through screens. In such cases trash such as rope, string, cloth, plastic materials and the like which cannot pass through the screens tend to accumulate, and unless removed from time to time, eventually necessitate a shut down.

Apparatus is now known and used for removing such trash during the operation of the machine and without interfering with the normal operation thereof. One type of each apparatus is represented by Marvel Patent No, 1,760,511, dated May 27, 1930, in which a fork is mounted on a hydraulic lift by means of which it may be lowered into the stock to collect trash and may be raised out of the stock to dump the collected trash. It is an object of the present invention to provide improvements on apparatus of this type.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

A preferred embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a top plan view.

Figure 2 is a front elevation.

Figure 3 is an end elevation.

Figure 4 is an enlarged end elevation of the latch and latch release mechanism.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, the side wall of a beater or pulper 1 is shown, the trash removing apparatus being mounted, for convenience, directly thereon. Said apparatus includes a hydraulic lift mechanism comprising a hydraulic cylinder 2 having arms 3 secured thereto which may be welded or otherwise secured to the wall of the beater or pulper. Within the cylinder is the usual plunger 2' which moves up or down as liquid is forced into or released from the hydraulic cylinder. The means for operating the cylinder and plunger are not shown, asthey are conventional and form no part of the present invention.

At the top of the plunger is mounted a bridge 4 which extends laterally beyond the. plunger to overhang the interior of the beater or pulper. On the under side of the bridge and depending therefromis a fork consisting of a series of similar tines 5 having their lower ends curved as shown at 6 in Figure 3 so as to engage and hold trash circulating within the beater or pulper, The upper ends of the tines are mounted in a horizontal rod 7 which is journalled in members 8 depending from the bridge.

At one end of the rod 7 is secured an arm 9, the free end 10 of which engages the bar 11 of a latch 12 which is pivotally mounted on members 13 projecting from the bridge. The latch normally locks the arm 9 and the fork in fixed position so that when the hydraulic cylinder is operated to lower the fork into the stock in the beater or pulper the fork is held against rocking movement.

Whenever the hydraulic lift is operated to raise the fork out of the beater or pulper, however, it is desirable to release the latch and at the same time to cause the fork to swing on its pivots so that any accumulation of trash thereon may be dumped off.

The latch release mechanism comprises a U-shapcd member 14 pivotally mounted on the arm 9 at 15 and a second Ushaped member 16 pivotally mounted on the member 14 at 17. The member 14 is normally held in retracted position as shown in Figure 5 by a spring 18, but can be swung on its pivot by pulling down on member 16 to cause the lower front corner to engage the latch to release the same. For automatic operation of the latch and fork in coordination with the operation of the hydraulic lift, a flexible link such as a cable or chain 19 is provided having one end connected to a fixed member such as the pulper wall and having its other end connected to a ring 20 secured to member 16. Ordinarily and while the fork is immersed in the stock the link is slack, but it is adjusted to a length such as to become taut whenever the fork has been lifted suificiently above the pulper. At this point tension on the link pivots the member 14 to release the latch, and on further upward movement of the hydraulic lift the fork will be swung to dump its contents onto the deck at the top of the pulper. Then when the hydraulic lift is lowered again, the fork swings back to its original position and the latch again engages the arm 9 to lock it and the fork in fixed position, Thus the operation of the latch and the dumping of the fork are automatic operations which occur when the hydraulic lift is operated. If the latter is operated automatically on a suitable time cycle, the entire operation becomes automatic and does not require constant attention.

In order to prevent rotation of the plunger 2' in the cylinder 2 when the fork is immersed in the stock, a guide cylinder 21 is provided which is rigidly connected to the cylinder 2 by members 22. A plunger 23 connected to the bridge 4 moves within the cylinder 21 as the fork is raised and lowered, resisting any turning movement of the plunger 2' or the fork.

It will be understood that the invention may be variously modified and embodied within the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Apparatus for removing trash from paper stock defibering machines which comprises a lift mechanism, a fork pivotally mounted on said lift mechanism, said fork comprising a series of tines having their upper ends mounted in a horizontal rod which is journalled on said lift mechanism, an arm mounted on said rod and thereby pivotally mounted on said lift mechanism and rigidly connected to said fork, a latch engaging said arm to lock said arm, rod and fork in fixed position with respect to said lift mechanism, and a latch releasing member pivotally mounted on said arm.

2. Apparatus for removing trash from paper stock defib'eri'ng machines which comprises a lift mechanism, a fork pivotally mounted on said lift mechanism, an arm pivotally mounted on said lift mechanism and rigidly connected to said fork, a latch engaging said arm to lock said arm and fork in fixed position with respect to said left mechanism, a latch releasing member pivotally mounted "on said arm, a second latch. releasing member pivotally mounted on said first latch releasing member, and a flexible link connected at one end to a fixed memher and at its other end to said second latch releasing member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,760,509 Marvel May 27, 1930 1,760,511 Marvel May 27, 1930 1,839,186 Leonard Dec. 29, 1931 2,518,119 Breda Aug. 8, 1950 2,660,765 Carlson Dec. 1, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 91,116 Switzerland Oct. 17, 1921 

